Geologia Croatica, Vol. 69 No. 1, 2016.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.4154/GC.2016.02
The Ljubija geothermal field: A herald of the Pangea break-up (NW Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Ladislav Palinkaš
Sibila Borojević Šoštarić
Sabina Strmić Palinkaš
; University of TromsøFaculty of Science and TechnologyDepartment of GeologyDramsvegen 201, N-9037 TromsøNorway
Walter Prochaska
Zoltan Pécskay
Franz Neubauer
Jorge E Spangenberg
Abstract
The Ljubija ore deposits are the loci typici of siderite-barite-polysulphide deposits withinthe Inner Dinarides, Gemerides and Eastern Alps. Numerous sites of ore outcrops, smalleror larger ore bodies of mineralization, consisting of Fe carbonates, sulphides, barite andfluorite are scattered over an area of 150 square km. The half billion tons of iron ore resourcesoccur as replacement in dolostones and limestones, and as open-space fillings(veins, veinlets) in phyllites and sandstones. The genesis of the Ljubija ore deposits hasbeen explained as (i) syngenetic sedimentary-exhalative, (ii) hydrothermal-metasomatic inMiddle Triassic time or (iii) hydrothermal replacement of sedimentary carbonates in Permiantime. Basically two alternatives Variscan or Alpine metallogeny, frame the time of genesisfrom the Middle Carboniferous to the Middle Triassic. Genetic interpretation of theLjubija ore deposits required convincing arguments based on recent achievements of platetectonics. This contribution presents a set of new data on ore petrology, geochemistry, geologyand time of formation. The Ljubija ore field could justifiably be termed the „Ljubijageothermal field“, due to its areal extent and the thermal characteristics of numerous oredeposits and occurrences within the Sana-Una Palaeozoic terrain. The Ljubija geothermalfield marks the first signs of thermal instability of Pangea, revealing its breakdown along thedeep fractures and heralding incipient intracontinental rifting, the first phase of the newAlpine Wilson cycle. The research reveals novel data on the P-T-X characteristics of oreforming fluids (microthermometry, ion chromatography, Raman spectrometry), sulphur isotopes,maturity of organic matter by vitrinite reflection, and age determination by 40Ar/39Arand K-Ar methods. It adopts argumentatively all the estimated research parameters thatconstrain a justified genetic model.
Keywords
Hydrothermal; metasomatic; geothermal; siderite; Permian
Hrčak ID:
155687
URI
Publication date:
29.2.2016.
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